Things to Know About Dubai Education System
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Things to Know About Dubai Education System
The Dubai education system is the same as the education system in the United Arab Emirates and has 5 stages, namely pre-school education, primary education, secondary education, high school and higher education, but only primary, secondary and high school education is compulsory.
The United Arab Emirates was ranked 16th worldwide in terms of the quality of primary education and 12th worldwide in terms of the quality of higher education in the 2017 Global Competitiveness Index rankings.
There are 63 world-renowned universities in Dubai, and most of them provide high-quality education. The majority of the universities in Dubai attract great attention from international students due to their partnership with universities abroad, the quality of education, the facilities they provide, and the language of instruction being English.
Is Education Compulsory in Dubai?
In Dubai, primary education starting at the age of 6, preparatory education lasting from the age of 12 to the age of 15, and secondary education lasting from the age of 15 to the age of 18 are the compulsory education levels.
The United Arab Emirates cabinet approved a law in July 2012 to bring the compulsory education age in line with the education system of developed countries, and this law requires children in the United Arab Emirates to receive primary education starting at the age of 6 until they complete grade 12 education, which lasts until they are 18. The education law approved in 2012 requires parents to monitor their children's commitment and continuity in education in accordance with the academic calendar determined by the Ministry of Education in Dubai.
What are the types of education in the United Arab Emirates?
There are two types of education in the United Arab Emirates: public school education and private school education.
While private schools in Dubai are rated as good, high and exceptional quality, public schools are rated as adequate or poor, but this is changing as the government invests more in public education.
What is Public School Education Like in Dubai?
Dubai public schools are public institutions supported by the United Arab Emirates government that provide free education for UAE citizens.
Dubai public schools offer free primary and secondary education and compulsory education for all male and female students between the ages of 6 and 18, but coeducation is not available in public schools. Students graduating from secondary school in Dubai receive a Secondary School Leaving Certificate or Technical High School Diploma. The language of instruction in Dubai is Arabic, with English as the second language.
There are a total of 79 public schools in Dubai managed by the Federal Ministry of Education.
What is Private School Education Like in Dubai?
Private school education in Dubai is provided for a fee for all stages of education and there are also co-educational system options in private schools.
In Dubai private schools, the American, British and International Baccalaureate curricula are taught in English, and all students who do not speak Arabic must take Arabic language classes as a second language, and Muslim and Arab students must take Islamic studies.
There are a total of 148 private schools in Dubai offering different curriculum options, and the annual tuition fees of private schools vary between AED 1,725 and AED 107,200 per year depending on the curriculum, location of the educational institution, teaching staff, stage of education and a number of different services offered.
What are the Stages of Education in Dubai?
The stages of education in Dubai are listed below.
- Preschool education in Dubai
- Primary education in Dubai
- Secondary education in Dubai
- High school education in Dubai
- Higher education in Dubai
What is Preschool Education Like in Dubai?
Preschool education in Dubai is optional and is provided to children between the ages of 4 and 5, who are below the age of admission to first grade. Kindergarten education in Dubai can be received in public or private schools, and preschool education is usually co-educational.
In Dubai, children at the kindergarten level are taught art, music, religion, English, Arabic and mathematics and different activities are offered to children. Preschool education in Dubai is provided for children to be successful at primary school level and beyond, and to develop social, physical and academic skills.
Kindergarten education in government institutions in Dubai is free for Emiratis, but public schools also charge fees for foreign nationals. Kindergarten fees in Dubai vary between AED 8,800 and AED 50,000 per year, depending on the location of the educational institution, the teaching staff, the services offered in the kindergarten, and the lessons and practices.
What is Primary School Education Like in Dubai?
Primary school education in Dubai is compulsory and starts at the age of 6 and continues until the age of 12. Primary school education in Dubai teaches students subjects such as mathematics, science, English, Arabic and social studies, and there are many schools in Dubai that teach children other foreign languages such as French, Hindi and even Russian.
Primary education is compulsory in the UAE from the age of 6 by the Ministry of Education, and most schools offer a combination of primary and secondary education, eliminating the need for students to transfer to a separate school after graduating from primary school.
Primary education in Dubai is free in public schools, but annual fees in private schools are around AED 3,000, and primary school education in Dubai is from Sunday to Thursday, from 07:40 to 15:00. Primary school education in Dubai has been co-educational since 2018.
What is Secondary School Education Like in Dubai?
Secondary school education in Dubai is compulsory and starts at age 12 and continues until age 15. Secondary school education in Dubai has a similar curriculum to primary education and provides education in subjects such as mathematics, science, English, Arabic and social studies.
Private secondary school fees in Dubai cost around AED 25,000 per year, and both public and private schools offer mixed education.
What is High School Education Like in Dubai?
High school education in Dubai is divided into two types: the type of education that focuses on academic subjects and starts at the age of 15 and continues until the age of 18, and the type of education that focuses on acquiring special skills and starts at the age of 12 and continues until the age of 18.
High school education in Dubai, which focuses on academic subjects, lasts 3 years and the compulsory courses in school are mathematics, social studies, physical education, religion and Arabic; elective courses are science, language, sociology, history and computer studies. At the end of the 3-year high school education in Dubai, students are given a certificate of completion.
Technical high schools in Dubai last 6 years and offer courses in a department-based manner that is selected according to the student's specific skills. In Dubai, technical high school graduates are given a technical high school diploma.
High school tuition fees in Dubai vary between AED 12,723 and AED 64,093 per year.
What is Higher Education Like in Dubai?
Higher education in Dubai generally lasts 4 years, but the duration may vary for medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine and some engineering departments.
Undergraduate education at Dubai universities can be chosen as part-time or full-time, and the academic terms of the universities are divided into three as fall, spring and summer. Completing high school education and having the appropriate visa are among the main requirements for applying to universities in Dubai .
There are 63 universities and colleges in Dubai. The best universities in Dubai are the American University of Dubai and Zayed University. In the 2022 World's Best Universities ranking, the American University of Dubai is ranked 601st and Zayed University is ranked 651st.
Diplomas received from universities in Dubai are equivalenced by YÖK.
Is Education Paid in Dubai?
Education in Dubai is free in public schools and charged in private schools, but international students are subject to certain fees at each stage of education, regardless of whether they are in a public or private school.
Tuition fees for children of non-Emirati citizens attending public schools in Dubai are AED 6,000 per year, while tuition fees for students attending private schools range from an average of AED 2,700 per year for kindergarten to AED 66,000 by the final year of compulsory education.
Is Homeschooling Available in Dubai?
Home education is available in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates government grants children the right to home education after parents register with the education department and purchase the necessary books and study materials, but children are required to pass relevant exams at the end of each term.
What is Foreign Language Education Like in Dubai?
Foreign language education in Dubai begins with kindergarten education at the age of 4 or 5 and continues at a certain level throughout compulsory education until the age of 18. In Dubai, English is taught as a second language for students who speak Arabic, and Arabic is taught as a second language for students who speak English or another language.
There are dozens of language schools in Dubai and language education in Dubai focuses especially on English and Arabic, but there are also language schools in Dubai that provide language education in German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Chinese.
The most popular language schools in Dubai are ES Dubai, Speak English Institute and Eton Institute, with registration fees of AED 1,597, AED 1,542 and AED 1,539 respectively.
Is Religious Education Compulsory in Dubai Education System?
In the Dubai education system, religious education is compulsory and usually begins in kindergarten education and continues throughout the compulsory education period, but religious education is optional for non-Muslims.
The basics of religious courses that are compulsory in the Dubai education system are the history of Islam, which is the religion of Dubai, manners and morals, the Quran and science, Islamic doctrine and the conditions of worship.